Types of Long-Term Memory Evaluation

Types of Long-Term Memory Evaluation

1. Research Evidence

   • Case studies provide clinical evidence of distinctive LTM stores located in different parts of the brain
   • HM - Amnesia & problems with episodic memory
     • E.g. could not remember having stroked a dog an hour earlier but knew the concept of a dog
   • Supports the distinction between episodic and semantic memory respectively
   • Clive Wearing - impaired episodic memory but intact procedural memory
     • E.g. cannot remember his children's names but can play the piano
   • Supports Tulving's view that there are different memory stores in the LTM
   • One store can be damaged whilst the others are unaffected

2. Methodology

   • Use of Neuroimaging techniques strengthens reliability of Tulving's theory
   • E.g. Tulving got ppts to perform various memory tasks whilst using a PET scanner
   • Found that episodic memories were recalled from the right prefrontal cortex and semantic memories from the left
   • Procedural memories associated with cerebellum which is involved in the control of fine motor skills
   • Using objective measures has allowed for replication, therefore validating the existence of distinctive LTM stores

3. Real Life Application

   • Being able to identify different aspects of LTM allows psychologists to target certain types of memory to better people's lives
   • Older people with cognitive impairment typically suffer from episodic memory loss
   • Led to the development of interventions focused on teaching episodic memory strategies
   • Belleville
     • Found that ppts who were given cognitive training performed better on a test of episodic memory after training compared to a control group
   • Highlights the benefits of being able to distinguish between types of LTM
   • Enables specific treatments to be developed

4. Methodological Flaws

   • Lack of control in clinical studies that are used to support Tulving's LTM theory
   • Case studies are unique to the patient so may not be applicable to everyone
   • Supporting research lacks population validity so is difficult to generalise to everyone